The Dolphins have another head coaching storyline brewing — and almost no one is talking about it
Mike McDaniel, John Harbaugh — but what about the OTHER storyline playing out?
It’s been a dramatic start to the offseason for the Miami Dolphins. A general manager search is underway. There are conflicting reports on Miami’s frame of mind at the head coach position, too. Those rumors and speculation are only further spurred on by the departure of John Harbaugh from Baltimore. But if you’re paying attention, there’s another coaching cycle subplot unfolding that implicated the Miami Dolphins.
Defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver is rolling up interview requests — he just added his third of the week on Wednesday. And the most recent request should raise some eyebrows.
Dolphins defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver adds head coaching interview with the Baltimore Ravens
Don’t get me wrong. I don’t necessarily believe Anthony Weaver is a top-tier defensive play caller — at least he hasn’t been able to showcase that in his first two seasons. I believe he has managed to make the best of the circumstances he was dealt this season amid some late additions to the depth chart and plenty of cheap or last minute hires. The personnel hasn’t done him favors with performance, time on task, or experience at times. But I do believe Anthony Weaver is a phenomenal leader — and if you told me he excelled in a ‘CEO’ role as a head coach at some point, I would absolutely believe it.
Weaver has walked in the players’ shoes during his own NFL career and has steadily worked his way up the ranks as a coach. Now, for the second straight offseason, Weaver is garnering consideration for head coaching vacancies. Last year, Weaver was a finalist for the New Orleans Saints job. This year, he’s collected interview requests from the Arizona Cardinals, the Atlanta Falcons, and most recently, the Baltimore Ravens.
The Ravens opportunity is of particular note, given the support and interest within the fan base to pursue Baltimore’s former coach, John Harbaugh. Harbaugh was a ‘CEO’ coach in his own right, a program builder and a culture setter who banked on his assistants to provide the cutting edge in play design and scheme to deliver wins. Of the teams that have invoked interest, Baltimore actually feels like one that could provide Weaver with the role and responsibilities to be successful, given that the previous coach had similar strengths.
I’m not sure Weaver’s unit had the breakthrough it needed to land him a job in this cycle. But the rest of the league is taking note of his presence all the same. And we should probably keep that in mind amid our perception of Weaver as things move forward. Assuming, of course, he ends up being with the Dolphins again in 2026.
Miami Dolphins News
Mike McDaniel says Dolphins must go ‘back to the drawing board’ on defense — and the roots go deeper than Anthony Weaver’s play calls
It is, indeed, time to go ‘back to the drawing board’ for Miami.
